Inevitable
by redgrrl
Summary: Situations that can not be avoided must be faced outright. Chihiro is a ghost that is undeniable. To move on, she must return to where she belonged. Only, someone might be content to stop her from leaving. Inevitable. [CxH]
1. A Beginning

Disclaimer: Spirited Away isn't mine.

For my usual ravings, visit my profile. Other than that, enjoy!

Since Spirited Away was released in 2001, I am going to assume that is the time setting for the film.

**Inevitable**

…

_Situations that can not be avoided must be faced outright. _

_Inevitable. _

…

In the year 2007, the brown haired girl sat light down onto the three steps that led up to her house. She stared at her hand as she moved it around. She didn't know why it gave her such a fascination and obsession. It was just moving her hand…she did it so often before…

"Mopping about isn't going to do anything." A voice above her said.

Chihiro gave a disgruntled sigh, and she murmured, "I used to always sulk…only now I realize…"

"How stupid it was, right." The girl above her said, "Really, there must be some reason you're still here."

"Why shouldn't I be here? This is where I live! Or rather – where I used to live." Chihiro muttered.

Kagura said softly, "Nothing's going to change even if you watch them…Chihiro, its best if you leave."

The brown haired teenager gave no reply.

Kagura threw her hands up in frustration, and she yelled at Chihiro, "It's no use if _you're already dead_!"

Chihiro swung around, with tears in her eyes. She sniffed, and she said angrily, "I know that already. I've been hanging around like this for a month already. But where else can I go? I'm not going anywhere because there's something I haven't done!"

Kagura smiled gently, "That's because…you've finished everything in the human world. What's left…is in the spirit world."

Chihiro looked up, and she burst into tears. She didn't want to hand around like a stalker. She wanted everyone to live their lives happily and she didn't want to be a burden. If she had to go _there_ in order to leave peacefully…she would gladly pay another visit.

…

Haku felt it in his veins two years ago. Four years after Chihiro left – that his river was utterly and profoundly destroyed. Not a single drop of water from the river now existed. His dream to return home too was shattered.

Gradually, but slowly, his dreams to go back to the human world too were shattered. Haku always found some rationalization to stay at the bath house, whether it is for Kamajii and Rin's safety, or just to finish off his next mission from Yubaaba.

Along with his dreams of going home, so did his memories of his name and the girl who saved him from eternal imprisonment.

The girl who saved him now, was only a faint memory – a mass of brown and pink. Sometimes, on good nights, he would recall the name 'Chihiro' for no particular reason, and then forget about it for months in a row.

Needless to say, the good times were gone.

His cold hard exterior that had melted away in the presence of the brown haired girl too was retrieved back a few months after her departure. And now, all that remained was a shell, walking in and out of the bathhouse.

And somehow, though none of the spirits had considered it before, they honestly wished 'Sen' was here right now, comforting him.

But those wishes too, gradually faded away as the years went by, and the brown haired girl gradually got buried away.

It was time to face the music. She may never return.

…

"How many years has it been, Kagura?"

Kagura clicked her fingers, "Why must I always do the Maths…it's been six years since you've been here."

Chihiro smiled, running her finger across the bridge, "Yes, it's been that long…Kagura, when did you meet me?"

"A month ago. Don't forget I am the messenger from heaven and hell! My job is to guide you to whichever area is more appropriate for you!"

Chihiro smiled happily, "Then I guess…you would fail if I don't ever plan to return!"

Kagura did a speechless stagger, and she wiped the sweat from her forehead. She hoped she was joking. All the years of hard work trying to get promoted would be gone then.

"The paint is so worn out…" Chihiro murmured as the night sky overtook them. She looked on ahead, and she smiled.

Inevitable.

…

_End of chapter one_

…

Well…what a way to end the chapter. The next chapter is going to be a lot longer! Promise!


	2. A Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Spirited Away.

_Chihiro smiled happily, "Then I guess…you would fail if I don't ever plan to return!" _

_Kagura did a speechless stagger, and she wiped the sweat from her forehead. She hoped she was joking. All the years of hard work trying to get promoted would be gone then. _

"_The paint is so worn out…" Chihiro murmured as the night sky overtook them. She looked on ahead, and she smiled. _

_Inevitable. _

Inevitable: Chapter Two, A Meeting

Chihiro looked on ahead with distant eyes, and she smirked. There was no one waiting for her, nowhere – not in the human world, and definitely not in the spirited world. This was her life. It wasn't like Chihiro had welcomed it with open arms, but Chihiro just did not mind. It wasn't as if Chihiro had a choice.

Ogino Chihiro had never made choices. Ogino Chihiro never got to make a choice.

All her life, Chihiro has had someone to depend upon – a shoulder to lean upon, someone to guide the way for her. She had never been an independent walker. And now, after she died, she thought she would have to be solitary, and make her own choices – and yet, the messenger from heave and hell came, and guided her along her pathway, to the spirit world.

"The paint is pretty worn out. I should consult Yubaaba with this." Kagura said rather lazily, "Go on. I'll be right behind you."

Chihiro frowned, and she looked at the pale figure upon the bridge, "Kagura-san, will they be able to see me?"

Kagura smirked, and the expression on her face told Chihiro that she would soon find out. Chihiro left it at that, and with a determined expression on her face, she stepped over to the other side of the bridge.

Night time had not yet arrived, but it was only a matter of time. She saw the very familiar, but yet foreign lanterns along the side, and then the clothing over the bath house entry with the Japanese hiragana character "yu". God, she was Japanese, and she didn't even remember what it was called. Chihiro was lightly reminded of her death yet again, and she paused as she left her memories resurface.

Shrugging slightly, Chihiro watched dazedly as the lights switched on, and she could see distantly the ships drawing in, gods and monsters piling off the decks and making their way towards the bath house.

This reminded her. The bath house.

What on earth was she doing here anyway?

Kagura lightly touched Chihiro on the shoulder, and whispered in her ear, "To find the reason why you are still staying here. You need to move on."

Ah yes, that was the reason. To move on, and into the unknown. Chihiro sighed softly, and she replied to Kagura, "What now? Sulk around the bath house or find a job there. Why should I find a job there when I'm already dead!"

She felt the bitterness of her death resurface. Chihiro shook her head. Didn't she swore she would not, never again, feel bitter towards her own little happy after? Except of course, Chihiro's version of living-happily-ever-after was not reality. The exact opposite.

She thought her afterlife would be different – happy, and insanely perfect. Instead, here she was, trying to find a way to _end_ it – ending her so called happy ever after that was insanely perfect and madly beautiful. Which world did Chihiro seriously live in?

"Here goes!" Chihiro said as she stepped inside the bath house.

And she was instantly blinded by the sharp lights with in the bath house. Looking around, she found the counter where she had stolen several coupons before. Feeling an up rise in courage, Chihiro took several long steps forward, and demanded to the frog at the counter, "Please, take me to the mistress."

The frog looked expertly at Chihiro, and sighed with slight annoyance and relief at the same time, "Gosh. Another human…"

Chihiro felt a tinge of annoyance at this, and she almost punched the front counter in distaste, "What do you mean another human!"

"I mean what I said! Take a look, you little brat of human blood. Come to think of it…you look quite alike to that girl."

Chihiro narrowed her eyes as the frog continued, "There she is! Look, widen your eyes girl."

Chihiro snapped back, "Shut your mouth froggy." As a girl that had several familiarities to Chihiro appeared at the doorway. The only major difference between their appearances was the hair colour, Chihiro noted. The other girl's hair was black.

Heck, they even tied their hair up the same! Except, Chihiro held her hair up with the all famous hair tie Zeniiba gave her.

Chihiro walked forward towards the girl who she presumed to be human, and she demanded, "Who are you."

It was a statement, and the girl frowned considerably, "My name…is Chihiro."

Chihiro gritted her teeth, "Look here, girl, I don't know what's the deal with you but…"

Chihiro froze in the middle of her threatening, and she could only stare at the two other figures that just came in through the doorway. She felt her heart pounding at a thousand kilometers per hour. If you were inside the room, you would be able to hear a pin dropping.

A woman with a gigantic, bludging figure entered the doorway, laughing horrendously, and a thin, well built boy with bright emerald eyes and pale skin followed her. He was consulting the woman with apparently, an 'issue'. And then he looked up, hearing the commotion.

And all time froze as amber met emerald.

End of chapter two

Author's Note: Hey it's Isabella writing here (don't get me confused with Janice or Jana). I really don't feel like writing a lot of author's notes. This story is not one I am fond of. To be honest, I do not know how this idea came to me at all. But I still left you guys on a cliffy!

Anyway, missed me? I'm back from my long break, even though I'll be gone, again, soon enough. Hopefully I'll post another couple of chapters before I disappear off and get my head stuck in projects…my last update was three months ago… (Shocked silence).

Reviews and constructive criticism appreciated. Flamers will be murdered (smirk… I do hope people get sarcasm).


	3. A misunderstanding

Disclaimer: The usual. Look back if you must.

_Chihiro froze in the middle of her threatening, and she could only stare at the two other figures that just came in through the doorway. She felt her heart pounding at a thousand kilometres per hour. If you were inside the room, you would be able to hear a pin dropping._

_A woman with a gigantic, bludging figure entered the doorway, laughing horrendously, and a thin, well built boy with bright emerald eyes and pale skin followed her. He was consulting the woman with apparently, an 'issue'. And then he looked up, hearing the commotion._

_And all time froze as amber met emerald._

Chapter Three: A Misunderstanding

The must have been a misunderstanding – some kind of conspiracy, Chihiro thought as the emerald eyed figure got closer towards her position. There had to be a plan – a well plotted one at that.

There was no way that a replica of Chihiro would suddenly turn up at the bathhouse, a place in which Chihiro once lived and loved. And to add to that, Kohaku walks into the same room, and ignores Chihiro outright!

Was this all just a dream?

If this was indeed a dream, when was it going to end? Why wasn't she waking up?

"Nigijhami Kohaku Nushi." Yubaaba declared, "I refuse to allow your proposition to marry Chihiro."

Ogino Chihiro, with the brown hair, looked at Kohaku with a shocked expression on her face. Hadn't he promised _her_ that he would return for Chihiro? And yet, here she was, in the same place, and the emerald eyed spirit had already confessed his love for another. To a replica of Chihiro none the less.

Yubaaba's eyes met Chihiro's at that very moment, and Yubaaba squinted her little eyes as she stared at the brown haired human, "Sen." She murmured.

Chihiro, surprised that someone still remembered her by her alter-name, smiled grimly, "Sen at your service, Yubaaba-senpai." She bowed deeply, showing her respect for the bath house owner.

It was at that moment that Chihiro realised that the emerald eyes never left her, and so she therefore bravely lifted her head and returned Kohaku's gaze.

"Yoroshiku." Chihiro said brightly, "I'm Sen. I guess I've returned from the human world. How do you do?"

She regarded Kohaku as a stranger, and the dragon, once in his senses again, realised it was only polite that he respond, "Please to meet you as well…"

"It's an absolute delight to meet you, Nigijhami-san. From what I can presume as a outsider, you and Chihiro-san seem to be a rather lovely couple. You have my best wishes." Chihiro said with gritted teeth.

Kohaku smiled back at Chihiro, "It's Himura-san to you. I'm not sure whether Chihiro likes being called her first name by a stranger. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."

_Kill me already_, Chihiro thought, as she watched Kohaku smile at her double.

ARGH.

"Anou ne, if I may intrude upon the rather personal conversation, Yubaaba-senpai, but, may I take my leave?" Chihiro muttered to the obese mistress.

She felt Kohaku's gaze upon her as Yubaaba replied, "Of course you may."

As Chihiro made her way to the hallway, she felt a familiar dragon's voice declaring loudly, "If you permit, Yubaaba-sama, I would like to have a word with…Ogino-san."

_Ogino-san, _how very cold that sounded to Chihiro.

He had never called her by a name so distantly…even if it was her surname, it would always sound warm and like home.

Now, his words stung into Chihiro's flesh.

Chihiro turned around, with a false grin upon her face, "I certainly don't mind!"

_You liar._

_You said you didn't mind…when in fact, you would've given anything you had to avoid a conversation with him. _

…

"May you excuse me for being so…unapproachable, Ogino-san" Kohaku started, "but…you're a human…are you not – an imprint on this world- but still a human? And this is a bathhouse of spirits…humans do not belong here, and yet you call this…home."

Chihiro bit her bottom lip, and she whispered, "I thought…spirits knew more, than to judge something by its cover…what matters…is not whether I'm a spirit or human…but whether I am truly accepted here, and if I belong."

And with that, Chihiro furiously looked deep into Kohaku's eyes, with a fire that had extinguished burning bright within her pupil, "And to me, this is home."

Chihiro's mouth twitched and she replied, "Ne, Kohaku, didn't think you were one to forget the debts you owed,"

Smiling wryly, Chihiro turned around to leave, "Kagura, you've eavesdropped enough. Lets get back to the bathhouse now, shall we?"

And to Kohaku's shock, Kagura, suddenly reappeared, with a frown on her face, "I was meant to be remained unconcealed, Chihiro-chan…"

Laughing, Chihiro waved, "Ja, Nigijhami-kun."

Kohaku looked tiredly at Chihiro.

_She looks so much like my Chihiro it scares me. It scares me so much…because I don't know which one is the fake, and which one is the real one. Which is Chihiro? _

_I want to find out… _

…

End of Chapter Three

…

How old was Chihiro when she died? I presumed she was ten when she left the spirited world in the movie (actually, I had solid proof. On the back cover of the CD I own, Spirited Away Music, it said Chihiro was ten.). Since the movie was in 2001, right in Chapter One of my story, I stated I presumed that was the time setting for the movie, and so, since my movie fast forwarded time to 2006 (therefore, time span of 5 years), Chihiro was approximately late 14- early 16 years old, as I do not know her birthday.

I also stated 'four years after Chihiro left', presumably, 2005, Haku gave up on Chihiro, because he felt that her spirit wasn't in the world anymore (which was, coincidentally not the truth in my story).

How did Chihiro die?  Score! Someone's paying attention to small details in my story! You'll notice Chihiro didn't want to talk about her death a lot, didn't you (you know who you are…my one reviewer that noticed this…but then again, maybe a lot you of noticed it… thanks so much, AnimeFreakKatie, for noticing this!)? I can't answer this question. I'll reveal it later on in the story…

Black haired Chihiro??? Sorry…random impulse… that made me write that… I'll get back to this question later… sweat drop) I'm such a bad author…sudden inspiration hits…and I can't stop…

So is Chihiro dead??? (Sweat drop)… um…first part in my story…I think I mentioned that… Chihiro 'died'… (Runs away)

Make Chihiro and Haku remeet! (Sweat drop) I hate to do this…but they did… what on earth have you been reading!

When are you going to update? (Sweat drop and runs away)…update??? Within the next year hopefully…life is tough…working for money is tougher…not that I do work right now…assignments are toughest of all…I'm sure it's not only me that hates annotated essays.

Okay, sorry if I chose your review and used slight sarcasm in my reply – I hope I didn't offend anyone. Sorry if I happened to choose your review and pick on it. I'm sorry, but I have a habit of turning everything a person says and twist it the other way around so it means something totally different. I'm sorry if I did that to yours (bows).


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